Defence Minister Metnar Toasts Army On Veterans Day

The 100-year history of the Czech state is closely linked to the army, Czech Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar said on the occasion of Veterans Day and the end-of-war celebrations in the Czech Republic.

At a ceremony on Prague’s Námestí míru, Defence Minister Metnar spoke about the crucial role of Czechoslovak legionaries in bringing about an independent state for Czechs and Slovaks and the work of Czech soldiers serving in foreign missions today. He paid homage to the four Czech soldiers who recently lost their lives serving in NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

The Czech Republic has marked Veterans Day since 2001. The Defence Ministry registers 14,000 war veterans, of those just 500 from WWII.